S06 Solicitation Questions and Answers.docx

CONTINUATION PAGE

SOLICITATION NUMBER 36C26126Q0975

AMENDMENT 0001

Question 1: Please clarify how travel costs are to be proposed. Should all travel be included in the fixed-price proposal, or will Government-approved travel be reimbursed separately?

Answer 1: Travel should be included in the fixed-price proposal.

Question 2: Please clarify whether costs associated with outreach activities (e.g., venue rental, event registration fees, educational materials, local transportation, shipping of outreach materials, etc.) are expected to be included within the fixed-price proposal or will be separately funded or reimbursed by the Government.

Answer 2: These costs are expected to be included within the fixed-price proposal.

Question 3: Will the CPIVH data platform be remotely accessible from all continental U.S. and Pacific Island locations, or will VPN, VA-issued equipment, or other Government-furnished resources be required?

Answer 3: It is anticipated that the data platform will be accessible from all continental US and Pacific Island locations. We do not anticipate a need for VPN, VA- or other government furnished resources.

Question 4: The solicitation's Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (FAR 52.222-42) maps Community Health Worker and Senior Director to GS-7 and GS-13 equivalents, respectively. Will the Department of Labor assign specific SCA Directory of Occupations codes to these positions, and can the Government identify what those codes are expected to be?

Answer 4: The Contracting Officer will request the appropriate classifications from DOL if required. The final position codes will be confirmed in the DOL-issued wage determination.

Question 5: Does the Government consider the Senior Director position an SCA-covered service employee for wage determination purposes, or would the Government entertain treating this role as FLSA-exempt (executive/administrative/professional), given its supervisory and program-development responsibilities described in the PWS?

Answer 5: The SCLS applicability and any exemptions are determined in accordance with DOL regulations based on the actual duties performed.

Question 6: For the Neighbor Islands and Pacific Basin regions — including COFA jurisdictions such as Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, Palau, RMI, and FSM — where DOL may not maintain a published SCA wage determination, how will applicable wage rates be established, and what is the anticipated timeline for issuing those determinations after award?

Answer 6: If an applicable wage determination doesn't exist, the Contracting Officer will request one from DOL, and any resulting wage determination will be incorporated in accordance with the applicable contract clauses.

Question 7: Are the $20.65/hr and $43.57/hr figures in the Statement of Equivalent Rates wage-only, or do they already incorporate the required SCA health and welfare fringe benefit rate?

Answer 7: The $20.65/hr (GS-7 Community Health Worker) and $43.57/hr (GS-13 Senior Director) figures in the Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires are wage-only rates. They do not include the required SCA health and welfare fringe benefit rate. The SCA fringe benefit rate must be added separately to these wage figures when determining total compensation for covered employees.

Question 8: Is the specific placement of Community Health Workers within each region (e.g., which CONUS metro areas, which Hawaiian islands, which Pacific Basin jurisdictions) entirely at contractor discretion, or does CPIVH have coverage priorities or target locations it expects reflected in offerors' technical proposals?

Answer 8: CPIVH priority areas are in the Pacific and CONUS areas with a high density of Pacific Islands veterans.

Question 9: For the “rest of the Hawaiian Islands” and “rest of the Pacific” regions, must the contractor maintain a continuous presence on every island/jurisdiction within the region, or is a hub-and-spoke model (concentrated presence with periodic outreach travel) acceptable?

Answer 9: A continuous presence is preferred but not required. A hub-and-spoke model will be considered.

Question 10: Will CPIVH provide or require co-location with VA facilities or clinics, or is the outreach model expected to be fully community-based/mobile without Government-furnished office space?

Answer 10: It is not expected to co-locate with VA facilities/clinics.

Question 11: If an offeror proposes a place of performance for which no SCA wage determination currently exists at time of award, is that offer still eligible for award, and how would the Government treat price if a wage determination is later incorporated at a materially different rate (in light of 52.222-49's no-price-adjustment provision)?

Answer 11: Yes, an offeror is still eligible for award if they propose a place of performance for which no SCA wage determination currently exists at the time of award. Per FAR 52.222-49, the Contracting Officer will request and incorporate the applicable wage determination from the Department of Labor after award, retroactive to the award date. Any applicable wage determination will be incorporated in accordance with the provisions of FAR 52.222-49.

Question 12: PWS Section 1.6.1 requires the contractor to demonstrate expertise "with active networks of community healthcare workers." Please confirm whether offerors must already possess a pre-existing, active network of community health workers in Hawaii/the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands at the time of quote submission, or whether this requirement may be satisfied by a demonstrated ability to recruit, train, and stand up such a network after award — consistent with PWS Section 1.4, which states that CHWs "must come from and be integrated into the communities the Center serves."

Answer 12: Active networks are preferred.

Question 13: What are the expected hours and days of coverage for Community Health Workers in each region — standard weekday business hours, or is evening/weekend availability required to support outreach events and community engagement activities?

Answer 13: It is anticipated that a standard business hour model will be the majority of the time, although, weekends and after hours may be necessary to support these events.

Question 14: Given that CHW staffing is structured as a minimum of 5 people sharing 2.0 FTE per region, does CPIVH have minimum weekly coverage requirements (e.g., a CHW available a set number of days per week) that should inform how that 2.0 FTE is allocated across the 5+ individuals?

Answer 14: No.

Question 15: Are CHWs and the Senior Director expected to travel or be on call outside standard hours for events such as health fairs, VA outreach days, or Veteran Service Organization functions, and if so, is any premium or differential compensation anticipated under the wage determination?

Answer 15: There is no expectation for CHWs or the Senior Director to be on call.

Question 16: Can CPIVH share the estimated or historic Pacific Islander Veteran population by region (CONUS, Oahu, Neighbor Islands, Pacific Basin) that informed the “5 CHWs per region at 2.0 FTE” staffing level in the PWS?

Answer 16: These estimates were based on intuition of needs and deliverables in the early years of the project.

Question 17: Is the “5 CHWs at 2.0 FTE per region” figure fixed for the base year, or does the Government anticipate exercising the PWS language that the “contractor and CPIVH will work to balance the positions according to workload” during performance — and if so, through what contract mechanism (modification, option, or otherwise)?

Answer 17: It is anticipated to be fixed in the base year.

Question 18: What quantitative performance targets (e.g., Veterans contacted, enrolled, or referred per year) will be used to evaluate whether the proposed staffing level is adequate, and can the Government share historical outreach volumes from prior CPIVH or comparable efforts?

Answer 18: There is no precedent to inform historical outreach volumes using CHW in the VA.

Question 19: If actual Veteran engagement volume substantially exceeds the current 2.0 FTE/region assumption during performance, what is the process and timeline for the contractor to request additional wage determinations, staffing, or funding?

Answer 19: If work is determined beyond the scope, then the COR will work with the CO to make acceptable changes to the structure of the contract and any additional funding as required. The center staff cannot change the requirements without a proper contract modification, and the contractor should follow the agreed upon requirements of the contract.

Question 20: Training timeline conflict (QASP): The QASP narrative lists six months while the Performance Requirements Summary and PWS 2.2 state three months. Will the government confirm which interval is correct?

Answer 20: A three-month reporting period is the determination.

Question 21: Is there any incumbent/recompete or this is a brand-new project?

Answer 21: This is a brand-new project.

Question 22: Is this program needed to cover Hawaii, the marianas Island(CNMI/Guam), Micronesia and American Samoa? If no to the above, can we bid to cover only the CNMI(where I am based)?

Answer 22: The program is intended to cover CNMI and other regions.

Question 23: Can you please share if any proposals solicited will need the entity to meet any bond or insurance liability requirements to be eligible.

Answer 23: There are no specific bond or additional insurance liability requirements stated as a condition for eligibility to submit a quote.